Clamp for battery terminal posts



June 9, 1931. T, HQFMAN 1,808,775

CLAMP FOR BATTERY TERMINAL POSTS Filed Aug. 12, 1929,

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Patented June a, 1931 UNITED STATES TENI8 norm, HOBLEI'ORD, ALBERTA, CANADA cum iron n'sr'rsnr Tasman roars Application fledlmctll, me. man Io. 305,414.

This invention relates to improvements in clamps 'for battery terminal posts and the object of the invention is to devise an improved form of clamp for "detachably, connecting a cable to a battery terminal post which, while being extremel secure and ing a good contact, ma very rea 'ly detached and removed rom the post and which will be of .simple and inexpensive construction.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of arts, all as hereinafter more articularly escribed, and illustrated in t e accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one form of the improved clamp connected to a battery terminal post.

Figure 2 is a top plan view in closed or i in position. r i mi 3 is a. horizontal longitudinal section through the clamp also in closed position.

Figure 4-is a top'plan view of a slightly modified form in which the clamp may be made.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different views.

- In the drawings the casing of the storage battery is indicated b the numeral and the terminal post by the numeral 11.

The improved clamp is indicated collectively by the numeral 12 and in the form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 comprises a body portion 13 which is formed with a shank 14 having a recess 15 therein into which the end of ,a cable 16 is adapted to be secured for connection to the clamp.

The body portion 13 also comprises a half jaw portion 17 which is in the form of an are of a circle. The body portion 13 is also formed with bifurcated lugs 18 at the inner end of the jaw portion 17.

Associated with the half jaw portion 17 is a companion half jaw portion 19 the irmer portion of which is in the form of an arc of a circle and this half jaw portion 19 is .60 hingedly connected at one end between the tion 19 1s a loop 22 one end of this loop beand forms a spicular projection exten g lugs 18 of the half jaw portion 17 by means of a pin 20.

The half jaw portions 17 and 19 are adapted to be closed together, as illustrated, and when so closed the inner 'arcuate portions thereof form between them a circular opening 21 adapted to receive the terminal post 11.

Swingably connected to the half jaw poring connected to the half jaw portion 19. This loop is adapted to swing over the end of the half jaw portion 17 when the jaw ortions are closed and the free end of the 00p carries a cam lever 23 the cam portion 2a of which is adapted to engage within a recess 25 formed in the half 'aw portion 17 Carried b the hal jaw portion 19 is a pin 26 whic projects into the openin 21 into this opening; a

Inthe form s own in Figure 4 the construction is gractically the same except that a slightly di erent disposition of the various arts is employed but the operation is identical with that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

In attaching the clamp to the terminal post it is merely necessar to separate the alf jaw portions 17 an 19 by swinging them about the pin 20 and closing them upon the terminal post 11 after which the loop 22 is swung over the end of the jaw. portion 17 and by closing the cam lever 23 the jaw portions are drawn together so as to securely grip the terminal post and in this operation the spicular projection 26 will penetrate into the post 11. In order to remove the clamp it is onl necessary to rotate the cam' lever 23 whic will permit the opening of the jaws and the disengagement of the clamp from the post 1 The improved clamp is of extremely simple and inexpensive construction and provides a convenient and eflicient manner of connecting a cable to a battery terminal 2 ecame terminal post is efi'ectedr It will be noted that this comprises .the loop 22 which cooperates with the outer ends of the aw portions oppositeto the hinge connectlon and 5 serves to securely hold these outer ends in closed position. V

A further feature is that all parts of the clamp are positively connected together so that the disengagement of the clamp does not necessitate removal or complete separation of any of the parts from the clamp and thus there is no likelihood of any o:E the parts being lost but the clamp is at all times a complete unit ready for connection to the battery terminal.

Var1ous modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the claim, and therefore the exact forms shown are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense, and it is desired that only such limita tions shall be placed thereon as are disclosed in the prior art. or are set forth in'the accompanyin claim. v What I c' aim as my inventionis A clamp for battery terminal posts com- 7 prising a body portion formed with means or receiving the end of a cable and with a a half jaw, a second half jaw portion hingedly connected at one end thereof to one end of the first half jaw portion, said half '1' aw portions when in closed position forming there between a post receiving opening, an elongated loop swingably connected to the free' end of one of the jaw portions and adapted to swing over the other jaw portion, and a cam lever pivotally connected to the free end of said loop, one of the jaw portions formed with a recess adapted to receive said 40 cam lever when the jaws are in closed position, and a spicular projection carried by one of the jaw portions and forming a projection extending into the post receiving openm In witness whereof I have hereunto set my.

hand.

TENIS HOFMAN. 

